Dandy Jim and the Change of Venue
by MaverickLover2
Summary: All resentments set aside, Bart Maverick had invited James Buckley (otherwise known as Dandy Jim Buckley) to spend some time at the ranch. One day, he does. This is the aftermath.
1. Unexpected Arrival

Chapter 1 – Unexpected Arrival

Normally at this time of day (mid-morning) I wouldn't be in the house; I'd be out in one of the barns working with the newest crop of cross-breed foals. But Beauregard had been sick and I wanted to see how he was feelin', and I needed a drink of water. Everybody was busy somewhere, so when I heard the knock at the door I went to answer it. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I opened it and saw who was standin' there. Dandy Jim Buckley. Or rather, I should say, James Buckley.

And that was the second biggest surprise. Jim was standin' there, at my front door. On his own two feet.

"Bart, old man, aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Um, of course, Jim. Or are you still going by James?" I stepped aside and held the door open. I noticed that he'd driven a buggy instead of riding in.

"Whichever you'd like," Jim answered as he swept into the house. He looked much better than the last time I'd seen him. Besides the obvious. He'd probably gained thirty pounds and didn't resemble a scarecrow any longer. His hair was still silver but he didn't look older than me anymore. And he was back to wearing Dandy Jim Buckley clthes. Dark gray pants, black boots that shined like the noonday sun, a forest green coat with a purple waistcoat, pale purple shirt and a flowing green scarf.

"You look so much better," I told him. "That doctor from Denver must have done wonders for you."

"He did, Bart, he did. I had something he called ulcers in my stomach, and I'd had them so long they were affecting every part of me. He gave me a long, complicated explanation that I can't remember most of, changed my diet completely, and had me quit drinking. Within six months the pain in my stomach was gone, I'd gained twenty pounds and my legs were strong enough that I could walk again. He's a miracle man; I tell you, just a miracle man."

"And how did Mrs. Murtaw take all this?"

"She's just as happy as a fish in a new river. I spend most of my time in Grand Junction, with some traveling thrown in for good measure. Like this trip. I'm going back to the little blue house when I've worn out my welcome here. I spend just enough time there to keep her happy. And Jack comes to visit regularly, and she just adores him. And sometimes Corinne sends the baby over to visit. She's just a year old now, and she's an absolute delight."

"So you and Corinne finally made up? Who did she marry?"

"Oh, she married Jake Bosworth. They had a baby about a year ago. Corinne sold the tobacco store and stays home with the baby. I'm not sure we really 'made up' but we're friendly enough. And Jake's a good man. No surprise, she named the baby Janet."

There were footsteps in the hall and in just a moment Doralice appeared. A year after Tim's birth she was just now beginning to seem more like her old self, and I was glad to have my sweet blue-eyed Doralice back. I caught Dandy's arm before he could swing her around or any other such nonsense and told him, "Be careful, she's still fragile."

He gave me an odd look but abided by my wishes, kissing her hand gallantly and smiling that great smile he still had. "Mr. Buckly," she beamed at him.

"Mrs. Maverick," he shot right back.

"What an absolute delight to see you. Is Jack with you?"

"Not right now, but he's supposed to meet me here. If that's alright with you?"

"That would be most delightful, James. I can't wait to see how much he's grown."

"Bart mentioned you were fragile. What happened?"

"When I gave birth to Tim a year ago, I almost died. It's been touch and go ever since. I'm almost back to normal."

"Dear lady, please sit down." James took her hand again and led her over to the settee.

"From what Bart told me, you weren't well either. You seem to have made a remarkable recovery."

"Due to a brilliant doctor from New York. Oh, I still have episodes that leave me tired and weak, but for the most part I am able to function normally. And where is this small scoundrel that caused you so much grief?"

Just then a pointed cry went up from the downstairs bedroom. "That would be Tim," I explained. "I'll go get him."

By the time I returned Tim had stopped crying and settled down in my arms. "He wants attention more than anything. Probably because he didn't get any for so long while Doralice remained unconscious. Say hello to your Uncle James, Tim." Our youngest chose that moment to open his eyes and look right at James.

"My God, old man, he looks just like you! Do all the rest of them take after you, too?"

"No, he's the only one that does. I had to wait until we were done to get a ringer."

"May I?" It was obvious that James wanted to hold him, as he reached out for the baby. Doralice gave me a subtle nod and I handed our latest production to Dandy Jim.

"Hmpf. Who would have thought I 'd be standing here holding the spitting image of Bart Maverick? There isn't one of these around here that looks like. . . hmpf, you know who, is there?"

Doralice laughed from the settee. "No, James, there isn't one around here that looks exactly like Bret."

I heard a small sigh go up and she murmured, "Thank God."

"You stay here, and I'll go round up everybody. Be prepared to be overwhelmed."

Doralice pulled James down on the settee next to her and I did round-up duty. Breton and Lily were together, as always, watching Lily Mae fry chicken. Beauregard was in bed, sleeping, Belle was in the backyard trying to catch butterflies, and Maudie was rubbing down Spreckles. Some of them followed me with no questions; other wanted an explanation. I left Beauregard in bed.

They all made their way into the front room and stopped somewhere behind me. None of them had every seen Buckley and they had no idea who he was. "Maudie, Belle, Breton, Lily, this is a good friend of Mommy and Daddy's. This is James Buckley, Mr. Buckley to you. You've heard me talk about Dandy Jim Buckley before. . . this is Dandy Jim." With that Jim was swarmed with buzzing Mavericks, everybody trying to talk at once, save for Lily Bith, who stood behind Breton and said nothing. Maudie gave him the once over and then asked,"Don't you have a son named Jasper? Is he coming, too?"

"His name is Jasper but he goes by Jack," Jim answered her immediately. "He's supposed to be here later. Do you want to meet him?"

"Mmmm, no," my oldest child answered.

"Maudie, that's rude," Doralice told her.

"But honest," I pointed out.

"Yes, Bart always was honest," Dandy replied. "It was his greatest fault."

"Alright, everybody back to what you were doing."

"I'm missing somebody," Dandy quickly caught on.

"I left Beauregard in bed. You can meet him later."

"A pleasure not to be denied anyone," Doralice explained. I was going to try, but I thought I would leave that experience for later.


	2. The Experiment

Chapter 2 – The Experiment

Supper was a riot; a three-ring circus not to be missed. Lily Mae had made fried chicken, which is always a big hit at our house, and tonight was no exception. Besides chicken we had okra gumbo, Cornbread, collard greens and sweet tea. The table was like a cattle stampede gone wrong, and every plate and every utensil was used. I think James was somewhat amazed by the speed with which things moved.

Anyone who had finished their homework by the end of supper was welcome to join us in the front room. Sometimes we talked, sometimes we played cards, sometimes we played games. Sometimes we went out to the barn, picked out a horse and rode. It all depended on what the mood was.

This night everyone had finished, even the sick boy, and the majority all voted for discussion. Seems they'd all listened to too many of my stories over the years about the exploits of their Pa and Dandy Jim Buckley. Jim, of course, was more than welcome into this select group, and each one had their favorite story to ask about.

Maudie wanted to hear about the time that Dandy and me were kidnapped, solely to lure Bret in and take him prisoner. It seems a Major in the Civil War blamed Bret for the death of his son, and was determined that Bret 'pay'. And Beauregard wanted to hear about Jim trying to help a young lady that owned a saloon, and almost losing his life over it. Breton wanted to hear about the time that I almost got changed by pleading guilty to a murder I didn't commit. And Belle wanted to hear James and Janet's love story. I know, we missed Lily Beth, but she was content to hear anything Breton was interested in. By the time we got through the story of our kidnapping and Jim's involvement with the saloon owner, it was time for bed.

.When I came back from tucking them in bed, I found Jim and Doralice talking. They were discussing Jack. "He's gone his own way," Jim explained. "I don't see him much anymore."

"His choice or yours?" Doralice asked him.

"His I'm afraid."

"That's a shame."

"Yes, well, his choice, not mine."

"Did you two have a fight or something?""

"No, not really. He just stopped coming to Grand Junction."

"I bet Mrs. Murtaw's heart is broken."

"Yes, it is, and she's never there anymore . She's out somewhere doing something."

"But you're not there, James. What's she supposed to do?"

"Well, she should stay home. What is she gonna do If I move from Grand Junction to Little Bend or even Fort Worth . . . I wasn't going to tell you that I was contemplating the move to Texas, but you'd find out sooner or later. What do you think? Bart? Doralice?

I was surprised. Dandy moving south to Little Bend hadn't even crossed my mind. And the question arose, why would he? But before I could ask the questions, Doralice did. "Are you really, James? Thinking about moving down this way, I mean? Would you give up everything you have up there to come down here? What would you gain? You'd certainly lose the wonderful regard in which you are held up in Grand Junction. But it might be worth it, depending on what you would gain by the move."

Goodness, gracious! I'd never heard Doralice rattle on like that before. Sounded like she wanted James entire future plans. But then, maybe she did. I would never accuse Doralice of anything so bold as a physical attraction to James, but there was always a subtle affection for him. And at one time she had been a great defender.

"I'd consider the move down here, yes. I might be held in high esteem in Grand Junction, though I'm sure I don't know why. But I 'd surely have more friends in Little Bend, and Mrs. Murtaw could come with me. What do you think? Do you think I'm tempting fate?"

I had to answer him honestly, he would expect no less. "I'm not quite sure what you mean by tempting fate, James. But are you really gonna have any more friends here than in Grand Junction? I mean, who do you know besides Doralice and me?"

"Well, there you go, to be honest. I don't know anybody down here, except the Mavericks. I know there's one that likes me and one that can't stand me. As for the rest of them, I just have to find out. But certainly you could introduce me to people. I could be a gentleman farmer down here, and make friends."

"And what about Corinne and the baby?"

"I just told you that to make you feel good about my being in Grand Junction. Truth be told, I rarely see either Corinne or Janet. And as I said before, Jack has stopped coming around. I haven't made up my mind, you see. I just wanted to come down and see what you thought."

I didn't say anything, I let Dorealice do the talking. And it took her three or four minutes to gather her thoughts, which surprised me. When she spoke, we both listened. "It depends on whose coming down to live here, Dandy Jim or James. I understand that you're never going to be one-hundred percent one or the other, because they're both you, and neither one is ever gonna completely go away. But I don't think in all good conscious that any of the Mavericks, even the ones that like you, could ever tolerate Dandy Jim Buckley all the time. However, from what I've heard of James Buckley, he seems to be a fellow that would make a good neighbor. That leaves the decision up to you. Which Buckley are you?"

James looked confused at first, and then he responded. "Miss Doralice, gentle and honest lady, I think you've raised an honest question. I propose that you observe me and listen to me over the next few days, and at the end if that time you tell me which Buckley I am. How does that sound to you?"

I started to protest, thinking that might be too much for her, but Doralice held up her hand and stopped me. "No, Bart, I'll be fine. I can do this. You're willing to take one woman's opinion?"

"If it is your opinion, yes."

So the matter was settled after a fashion, and the experiment had begun.


	3. Either Or

Chapter 3 – Eithor Or

It was eerily quiet at the table, the only sound being that of an occasional "Excuse me" or 'Pass the salt." That was understandable; there was no one under the age of twelve invited to the meal. All the little ones had been fed earlier and were now somewhere else in the house otherwise occupied. All that was left were Me and Doralice, Belle and Maudie, Bret and Ginnie, and James. Bret and Ginnie had come voluntarily, knowing full well that James would be there. Me and my brother had a long talk about the fact that everyone deserved a second chance, and that included Jim Buckley, whatever he decided to call himself.

James was so sweet that he almost made me gag. Remember, as long as I'd known him there was some kind of a verbal war going on between him and Bret. Even when James was being so straightforward, trying to get Bret to follow him to Major Boucher the time we were kidnapped, I could just imagine the conversation. "You have to come with me, Bret."

"Why, Buckley?"

"It's Bart. . . he's been hurt."

"Hurt how, Buckley?"

"He's been shot."

"By whom?"

"Some crazy people."

"Why did they shoot him, Jim?"

"So you would come to him. "

"But why shoot him?"

"So when I told you it was really bad, and he might be dying you'd believe me."

I could just see Bret's face, wondering if he should believe Jim or count this as another if his hairbrained schemes. Fortunately, he came to rescue me, at no small punishment to himself. Jim had spoken the truth. That was the crux of the whole matter, as I saw it; Bret didn't believe a word out of James' mouth. Then there were the cloaked in vitriol zingers, and James was oh so good at those. I had to find a way around those. Just a small task. I didn't realize how dangerously close we were getttin' to meltdown until I started paying attention.

"I've heard that Grand Junction is quite lovely in the springtime, Jim," Ginny brought forward.

"It is if you're a flower freak." I saw Bret just about to jump up out of his chair, but I also saw the benign look on Jim's face and I knew what he meant. "What James means is there are just tons and tons of flowers to look at . . . you can spend hours just walking around gazing at them."

Jim gave me a look as if I had lost my mind and nodded his head. "Why of course that 's what I meant. Everything is just lovely in Grand Junction. Flower watching would be a day well spent."

Bret sat back down, and Ginny was none the wiser. The twins started quizzing James then, asking him to describe this and that, and Bret slowly began to understand that a lot of what James said was just the way he spoke. He talked some more about Janet and explained Mrs. Murtaw, whom he described as a shorter, plumper version of Lily Mae, which made everyone laugh. He referred to her as a "dear, dear lady," and thought she and Lily Mae might be friends. He spoke about his desire for a small farm, with corn and lettuce and chickens, and a friendly poker game once in a while to break the monotony.

When the evening was over I thought everything had gone quite well. Bret hadn't lost his temper and no one had been shot. Doralice had a worried look on her face, which usually meant something was wrong.

"What is is, honey?"

"Hmmm?"

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing's bothering me."

"You sure? You've got that look."

"What look?"

"That look that says "oops" and "we better talk about it" at the same time."

"Oh, that look. Well, I'm worried about James. It seems like he's' tiptoeing around everything he says before he says it. In either words, he's carefully thinking the very things that come out of his mouth."

"Don't most people do just that?" I asked in my total stupidity.

"Not in normal conversation. Most people just say something and correct it later."

"So what's wrong with the way James is doing it?"

''It doesn't sound right."

Great. Now not only do I have to make sure that people don't misconstrue what Jm does say, I have to make sure he says it right to begin with. Or I can let it go and let him sink or swim on his own merit. My natural inclination was to do everything I could to make Jim 'acceptable.' Guess I missed him more than I realized. There was no one quite like Dandy Jim Buckley, and although a full dose of Jim was a little too much to bear, it would be nice to have him around.

So the decision was made. Besides everything else that I was doing, I was gonna teach Jim how to talk without saying something he didn't mean. Either that, or he could just go back to Grand Junction.

1


	4. Played Again

Chapter 4 – Played Again

I set out on my journey the next day, this journey I'd begun to see If I could change the way Dandy Jim spoke. Well, not so much the way he spoke; rather, the tendency he had of saying something the wrong way. This wasn't going to be an easy task, but it was the only chance he had. I had decided that Dandy was more good than bad, and I really did miss him. To keep him around, I needed to make him acceptable. Not just to me, but to everyone involved. In other words, Bret. If Bret could accept him, everyone else could, too.

I took Jim around the ranch and introduced him to all the hands, including Lucien, and the three of us spent most of the afternoon together. Dandy quizzed Lucien about many things, including the receptivity of the soil, and Lucien gave him an affirmative answer. Everyone that lived on the grounds grew one thing or another. In various places we had corn, wheat, lettuce, tomatoes, and all sorts of vegetables. The two men seemed to get along well, even when we had lunch on the patio. We were doing fine until Bret stopped by.

"I don't understand why you want to be a small farmer. You're too good a con-man to be anything else."

"I'm trying to live legally, so that my son isn't ashamed of me, Bret."

"Certainly you can find something that's more legal than starving to death with a farm."

"Not anything suited to me," Dandy shot back.

"Ah, I see. Something you approve of," Bret fired the next volley.

I could see Dandy's temperature rising; Bret was deliberately goading him on. Dandy looked at me and very pointedly said, "No, something you approve of."

I've never heard Bret get so quiet so fast. He gave us one more glare and then picked himself up and walked away. That's when Lucien had an idea. And I didn't for one minute expect it to work.

He'd noticed the way Dandy handled his mount, an elegant English thoroughbred. Lucien was curious what Dandy could do with one of our horses, so we gave him a Criollo cross with an Arabian Mare and turned him loose. Within ten minutes the cross-breed was calmer, more well-behaved, and looked much classier. "How did you do that?" I asked.

"It was easy, old man," was Jim's reply.

"Can you do it again? With another horse?" Lucien asked.

"Of course." Dandy gave a little skeptical look and challenged, "Produce a horse."

We went around the barn to Baron and saddled my unruly boy. I mounted him and Jim could see how Baron responded. He didn't fight me, but he didn't react to me the way he should have."Hmmm, better give me fifteen minutes with him." Lucien and me walked into the barn and looked at some of the newborn foals, then slowly made our way back to Jim and Baron. The Buckskin was like a different horse. Calm, collected, obedient, willing to pay attention to what I wanted and not what he wanted. What magic did Jim posses in those hands that I'd never paid any attention to before? What wonders was he able to produce besides what we'd already seen? And what more could he perform? And why hadn't I ever noticed any of this before?

There was an idea percolating in Lucien's head . . . and in mine, I'm afraid. If Jim could handle horses like that, why couldn't he work for the B Bar M? He could fulfill his idea of gentleman farmer while being a horse trainer. We wouldn't need him full time, just once or twice a week to work with the horses that would benefit from his masterful hands and his strong guidance. While Jim was still on Baron, Lucien and me put our heads together and came up with an offer. I didn't feel it necessary to consult Bret, because we'd been looking for someone with Jim's skills for months. That's part of what started the disagreement with Bret. Hell, it wasn't a disagreement, it was a war. More on that later.

Dandy brought me back a stallion that was worth considerably more than he had been just a few minutes ago. That's when we made our pitch. "If you had a part-time position that paid $_, and only required you be there probably two days a week, and involved working with your best friend, would you take it?"

"And what would I be doing, old boy?" That was pure Dandy. No questions about who the friend was or where he would be working. Just 'what would I be doing?'

"You'd be doing what you just finished doing. Changing a horse's mind about who's in charge."

"And this friend I'd be working with . . . his name wouldn't happen to be Maverick, would it?"

"And Walters," Lucien added.

"I think it might be . . . considered."

"Boss, there's some land up on the north end that we don't use, but it's good, fertile land. And you know Pauly and the crew are just dyin' to build another house." Lucien looked like the cat that had just swallowed the barn mouse.

"Could they make it blue with white shutters and a white picket fence? Like the one I have in Grand Junction?"

"Does that mean you'll take the job?" I asked nervously.

"Does that mean you're offering it?"

I cleared my throat and stood tall. "I am."

"Little blue house and everything?"

"All of it, as God is my witness."

I had made the offer to James Buckley, but it was Dandy Jim that accepted it. With a wicked grin, as if mocking me. "I accept."

Played again.

1


	5. Imagine That

Chapter 5 – Imagine That

Now that the deed was done, I was going to have to find a way to live with it. Could Dandy live up to the potential he'd shown me? I had no doubt about it. Would he? Therein lay the question. Even more important, would he?

I believe that the friendship with Lucien was authentic, on both their parts. In all the time Lucien had been there, he'd shown me no gile, no deceit, so I believed the raport he had with Jim was genuine. Good, that made two of us that saw the better man.

I left the two of them talking in the barn and sent for Pauly. "How would you like to build another house, Pauly? Up on the north end, that piece of ground we don't use. Remember, the one you said was a shame that nobody farmed on?"

"Really, Bart? You find yourself a horseman? A house for how many?"

"Two, a man and his housekeeper, with a spare room. Here's the catch . . . it has to be sky blue, with white shutters and a white picket fence. And a barn just for tools and chicken paraphernalia. And clear some ground for planting, the sooner, the better. And come to supper tonight at my house, around seven o'clock. And be prepared for war."

"Oh dear," Pauly murmured and scurried away.

Then I went home and told Lily Mae, "Make Bret's favorite dinner, dessert and all. And make plenty of it. And then prepare for war."

"Dear me. You hired Mr. Buckley, didn't you?"

"Read me like a book, Lily. And warn Mrs. Maverick, and send one of the twins down to invite the rest of the Mavericks, too, please. And remember that Jim is a mostly changed man, even if Bret doesn't believe it." I had to pause for breath. "And there's one more thing you can do for me."

"What would that be, Mr. B?"

"Pray for me, Lily Mae."

I walked back out to the barn, wanting to talk to Lucien and Dandy. I found them working with Spreckles, who had always been a headstrong little stinker. I was surprised to discover a well-behaved little gentleman, with Maudie riding him without any of the usual drama that accompanied their partnership. If I could get Bret to see the kind of work that Jim was capable of, and not just listen to the way that Dandy expressed himself, I had no doubt that he would 100% agree on my choice. That was the problem. Getting Bret to give Dandy a second, or third, or fourth chance. I guess I'd just have to work my charm on him.

I waited for a pause in the training and a lull in the conversation. "Gentlemen, I'd like to talk to you. Maudie, honey, come on in."

When my oldest child dismounted and brought Spreckels in, I asked her a question. "Did whatever Dandy, uh, Uncle Jim did to Spreckels make any difference in the way he behaved?"

"Oh, gosh yes, Daddy. He's just the best behaved little gentleman now. He doesn't fight me on the reins anymore or toss his head side to side like he used to, or act like he's about to throw me."

"If I asked you the same question tonight at dinner would you give your Uncle Bret the same answer?"

"Yes sir, I sure would."

"Promise me?"

"Promise."

"Okay, go ahead and put Speckels away."

"Lucien, Jim, you know I'm gonna catch hell from Bret for hiring Jim without consulting Bret. And you both know that hiring Jim was the best thing I could have done. I just have to convince Bret. Lucien, I'm gonna ask you about Baron, and I'm gonna ask Maudie about Spreckels. Then we're gonna bring him out to the barn and show him Baron and Spreckles both, and let him make up his own mind. And if that don't convince him, we'll let him pick out a horse. I need you both on your best behavior. Jim that goes double for you. This is gonna be a hard sell, and I need it done right. Understood?"

Both men nodded their heads. Neither said anything other than Lucien. "What time, boss?"

"Seven o'clock on the dot, Lucien. I'll see you both at dinner."

XXXXXXXX

"Did James really make that much difference in Baron and Spreckels?" Doralice asked me as we got ready for dinner.

"You're welcome to come out and see for yourself when I take Bret out there."

"You're sure that Bret's going to demand to see both of them?" Doralice asked curiously.

"Absolutely. I would."

"Let's just hope he accepts your decision."

"Never, without proof that he can't dispute." He was a Maverick. He needed proof.

"Well, you never know."

I love Dorlice. But she's known Bret long enough to know my brother. He needed proof.

Everybody arrived promptly at seven. Dandy kissed all the ladies hands, even the little ones, and we sat down to dinner. Bret took one look at the food on the table, folded his napkin and laid it on his plate. "What did you do, Bart?'

"I hired Dandy Jim Part time to work with the stubborn horses that we've got."

"Outside, Brother Bart."

"No, you have to hear this first."

"What?"

"Lucien, explain Baron to my brother."

Lucine went into a long explanation about Baron, both before and after. Bret raised his eyebrows. I turned to Maudie. "Maudie, darlin', tell your Uncle Bret exactly what you told me this afternoon about Spreckels."

And, bless her little heart, she told him word for word. Bret stood up. "I want to see this."

"When Lily Mae cooked all your favorites?"

"Dinner will wait. Anybody that wants to come along is welcome. Buckley, you haven't said a word."

"Words are not necessary."

"Alright, let's go see theses miracle horses."

So we trooped out to the barn, each and every one of us, and Maudie rode Spreckels first. He behaved like a perfect little gentleman. He never even considered disobeying. Then I got on Baron. Same reaction. "Let's see you do it again," Bret demanded. "I'll pick the horse."

Dandy smirked and nodded. I knew exactly who Bret was gonna pick. There was a big bay in the corral that our neighbor down the road wanted to buy, but the bay was too unruly. Sure enough, Bret ordered "Saddle the bay." In just a minute the bay was back in the barn, snorting and stamping his feet.

I turned to my brother. "You wanna give him a try?"

"Not me. Let's see your magic, Dandy."

"I need the barn cleared."

So we all trooped back outside, and in ten minutes I heard Dandy call, "Everyone back in." The bay was walking around, gentle as a kitten. Dandy slid down with ease and handed the reins to Bret. "He's all yours."

Bret looked skeptical but climbed on board the horse. The bay never made a false step. No matter what Bret tried, the horse performed perfectly. When Bret got down, he stuck out his hand to Dandy. "What's everybody standing around out here for? Supper's on the table gettin' cold."

As we all walked inside, I could hear him ask Dandy, "How'd you do that, Jim?"

"You mean I can do something you approve of?"

Bret knew exactly what Jim was gettin' at. "Yes, sir, with those magic hands."

"Hmm, imagine that." Buckley was hired.

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	6. True Colors

Chapter 6 – True Colors

Things were peaceful for a while. About a month, exactly. Jim went back up to Grand Junction to arrange for his possessions to be transported to Little Bend, put the house up for sale, and rode back down on the stage with Mrs. Murtaw. She was willing to give life on the ranch a chance since she didn't have any relatives in Grand Junction, either. Pauly and his crew were speedy as usual and had the house almost finished when the stage arrived.

Lily Mae was thrilled to meet Mrs. Murtaw, whose proper name was Hannah. Hannah was tickled to meet all the children, along with Doralice, Ginny, Maude and Ellie. She was so happy to be around little ones and women again. We figured we'd save the introductions to the men for supper that night. We brought them back to our house since James house wasn't quite finished. Pauly promised two more days. In the meantime, James and Hannah could go shopping for whatever they needed.

"You'll be surprised, the house looks just like the one in Grand Junction." I explained to them. "We'll get a couple of buggy horses for you and a saddle horse for James, of his choosing, of course, and you two can go to Little Bend with whoever wants to go tomorrow and get everything else you need. Then they'll deliver in three days, just to be safe. Hannah, I'm putting you in charge of what you need to furnish the place; have the bill sent to the ranch. Now, why don't you two go rest and clean up until supper?"

Doralice showed James where his room was, but Hannah stayed behind with me. "I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Maverick. Mr. Buckley was getting so sad and depressed in Grand Junction. He's like a new man with this job and movin' down where his friends are."

"We want you to be happy, too, Hannah. And I am Bart, please. Nobody goes by Mister down here. Now go on and get rested up for supper. And don't forget, it's Bart."

Hannah walked off with a smile on her face, and I followed her up the stairs. I wanted a chance to talk with Dandy. I knocked on his door and heard "Come in," and was surprised to see a big smile spread across Jim's face. "Glad to see it's you, old boy," he told me promptly.

"Who did you think it was?"

"Let's just say I'm not up for the next battle with Brother Bret." He lay down on the bed and heaved a big sigh. "Believe it or not, I'm glad to be here. Even if 'here' is among the Mavericks."

"I should think you'd be glad to be among the Mavericks. We seem to be the only ones that keep givin' you another chance."

"Oh, now, don't be insulted. I just feel overwhelmed by the number of you, that's all. Considering there are only two Buckleys, that is. Brother Bret still believe you did the right thing in hiring me?"

"I haven't heard any complaints. He's eager to get started, that's all. You have any regrets?"

"Only that I had to leave Grand Junction without seeing Jack. I have no idea where the boy is right now."

"Well, that sounds about right for a lad of twenty. What were you doing at that age?"

"I was doing my level best to flee England as fast as I could. I suppose you were playing poker."

I nodded. "That I was. And trying not to get killed by the Army."

"Noble undertakings, both of them. Jack simply travels around the country, avoiding me. But that's not what you came in here for. What can I do for you?"

"I want you to understand why I put Hannah Murtaw in charge of the purchases for the new house."

"That one is easy, old boy. So Brother Bret has no reason to dispute the amount spent."

"So I have records for the ranch and we can track gains and losses for the year and see if we made a profit."

"Tell me, Bart, wasn't your life a lot less complicated when you were just playing poker for a living?"

The question was easy, the answer was easier still. "Yes, Jim, it was. But I didn't have my beautiful blue-eyes and all the little ones. And I wouldn't trade them for the world."

"Good answer, old boy. But I still wouldn't trade places with you."

"Just remember that I didn't ask you to."

"Touche."

"I'll see you in about an hour."

XXXXXXX

Another dinner with the whole family, excluding Lucien, who was delivering a horse to a buyer in Claytonville. And including Dandy and Hannah Murtaw, who now got to meet all the Maverick men. Of course Pappy and Ben were the most charming, and they flattered and flirted with her shamelessly. Bret was warm and polite, and happy that Lily Mae would have a 'compatriot' of sorts.

Doralice and Ginny were the friendliest, and both offered to go into Little Bend with her and Jim. Maude wasn't feeling well, and Ellie was teaching summer school, Maudie intended to go along, and Lily Mae was waffling between going and staying home. The rest of the children were staying home under Belle's guidance. Finally, Lily Mae decided in favor of the trip. Everyone was warm and friendly towards Hannah, and she was glad she'd decided to move to Texas with "Mr. Buckley."

Bret stopped Hannah after dinner to give her some instructions on spending money, and I caught him. "I already talked to Mrs. Murtaw about that, no need to go over it again."

"Oh, alright. I just wanted to be certain that Jim wasn't in charge of the money. I'm sure that Mrs. Murtaw will be a lot more reasonable than Jim." Bret just couldn't let go of his distrust of Dandy.

The next morning we must have been quite a sight. Doralice, Ginny, Maudie, Hannah, Lily Mae, Dandy and me. We stopped at the newly opened 'furniture store' and picked up three beds, a kitchen table and chairs, and three small chests for the we were lucky enough to find a small settee and two side chairs. Next we went to the Little Bend General Store (what used to be Freeley's Emporium) for sheets and towels, and that's where we ran into trouble. I could hear Hannah murmuring 'oh dear,' 'oh dear', and Dandy was shaking his head. I walked over to see what was wrong and quickly discovered it was Jim's taste for luxury that had thrown Hannah into a tizzy. The store sold nothing but plain cotton, and that just wouldn't do for the spoiled Englishman.

"I'm afraid it will have to," Doralice explained. "That's all we can get here. As a matter of fact, cotton is considered a luxury."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Buckley, I'm afraid you'll just have to tough it out until we can get something sent over from London."

"That's alright, Hannah, we'll make do." Jim looked at me and smirked.

I let the ladies continue their shopping and went outside for a followed me out. I offered Jim a cigar and he took it, then pulled out a gold lighter and lit first his, then mine. "Still have expensive tastes I see."

"If you're going to have things, why not have the best things in life? Why should I settle for cotton . . . "

"When you can have silk?" I finished for him.

"Exactly."

I shook my head. "I'm afraid Doralice is going to find no trace of James if you keep going this way."

"But you see, old boy, she has to find him. Because he really does exist inside of me. It just depends on how much of him you're looking for."

"And that ability you seem to have with the horses? How real is that?"

"Oh, it's real alright. I've always been able to do that, ever since I was a wee lad. Never fear about that, you and Brother Bret will get your money out of me. And I'm not such a bad sort at that. I promise to be on my best behavior. I really do want to live here on the ranch. I prefer it to Grand Junction. Little Bend is far more interesting. I just see no reason why I should deprive myself of the finer things in life. If you know what I mean."

That was the problem. I was afraid I did.

1


	7. It's a Miracle

Chapter 7 – It's a Miracle

Word got around quickly that the B Bar M had a man with golden hands workin' for them, and that he could make a horse do anything; even the most stubborn of beasts. Soon we had Jim working five, six, seven days a week, and we were turning business away.

It couldn't continue like this. Either Bret or me or Dandy was going to collapse sooner or later, and my money was on Dandy. I had to do something, and I had to do it fast, or we were going to lose Jim. And we'd just got him.

It took me a while to find an answer, and then it was an answer that was right under my nose. Dandy had spent a life dodging work of all kinds, but something had changed since his marriage to Janet. She gave him an air of respectability he'd never had, and he seemed to like it. After her death, he found a way to hold onto it – by raising enough funds to build a school. No one asked how he'd obtained the money; no one cared. He was a hero to the town of Grand Junction, and he was going to have to do something to hold onto that status. Then he grew tired and bored and made his way to Little Bend, where we found he had a skill no one knew of.

So he went 'to work' for the Maverick Ranch and found himself wildly popular. And that's when I remembered what he'd said when he first showed up at the B Bar M - he spoke about his desire for a small farm, with corn and lettuce and chickens, and a friendly poker game once in a while to break the monotony. There was my answer, right in front of me. A friendly poker game.

And so I set about looking for a poker game. I certainly couldn't, wouldn't, take him to Maude's. There was nothing friendly about the games there. Slowly I realized that the best way to find what I was looking for ways to organize one myself. Dave Parker, Lucien Walters, Bily Sunday, Dan Avery, Jimmy Hunt, Simon Petry if nobody was being born that night, me and Dandy, and last, but far from least, any of the Mavericks that cared to show up – Pappy, Uncle Ben, and Bret.

We played one or two tables, depending on who appeared for each game. Just to keep my brother happy, I tried to make sure that he and Dandy never played together. More often than not, Jim was at whatever table I was playing at. It had been a long time since I'd played poker with him, and it took me a while to get used to his style again.

I didn't pay much attention to it at first, but I did start to watch the little things. Dandy won more often when we didn't play together, and that began to bother me. I wondered if he was doing something that I wasn't pickin' up on. So I started to take a closer look.

Weeks went by. Nothing out of the ordinary appeared and I started to think I was imagining things. Then one night I was late and found Dandy's table full and I ended up at the second table. We'd already played two or three games when something caught my eye. I wasn't exactly sure what it was so I kept my focus on Jim's game and waited to see if I'd actually seen something or my imagination was running away with me. I paid more attention to the other game than I should have and never caught another thing. I did, however, lose more money than normal, so much that on the way back to the house Bret asked me if everything was alright.

"Fine." I didn't mean my answer to be curt but it was and I got a reaction from Big Brother.

"You got somethin' on your mind son. I haven't seen you play like that in a long time."

"What does that mean?" I semi-snarled back.

"It means that the kids play better than you did tonight. What's wrong?"

"Sorry," I tried my best to cover up my mood. "I'm worried about that new mare we got this week. She looked kind of sickly earlier this afternoon."

"You sure?" It was hard to fool Bret and he'd heard something he didn't like.

I struggled to settle down my temperament and my voice. "I'm sure. It's like worryin' about a kid."

"You're worryin' for nothin'. I saw her right before comin' to poker and she looked fine."

We said goodnight and I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn't really lying; I had been worried about the mare. I just didn't tell him everything I was worried about.

Slowly the need for Jim's services with the horses settled into a more reasonable pattern, and we worked out a schedule of three or four days a week when he would come down to the barn. We'd all gotten used to the weekly poker games and nobody wanted to quit, so we kept meeting on Friday nights. I'd talked to Doralice about taking the night away from her and the kids, but she seemed to think it was a good idea that I spend a night with the game that had been my true love and mistress for so many years. I have to admit I was glad she felt that way; I didn't realize how much I missed poker until we started playing.

Three or four weeks went by and nothing out of the ordinary caught my attention during our weekly games. The participants varied from week to week, but one thing never changed . . . Dandy, me and Bret always played. Once in a while someone new would join us, like the Friday that Lucien's friend Avery Brooks appeared. He seemed like a reasonable enough fellow, but there was somethin' botherin' him most of the night, and it finally came to a head about one in the morning.

It had been a small group that night, just Lucien, Avery, Parker, Dandy, me and Bret, so we only had one game going. Dandy won the hand; the next thing I heard was a very quiet complaint from across the table. "You always play poker like that?" That came from Avery and was directed at Dandy.

"For years and years, old man," Jim answered amiably.

"You always cheat like that?"

The question stopped everyone cold. "I don't cheat," was Jim's reply, said with a smile.

"You dealt that hand off the bottom of the deck."

I saw Dandy tense. Even in the wildest days of Dandy Jim Buckley, he never would have been so obvious as to deal from the bottom of the deck. "You are quite mistaken, sir. " There was an attitude I hadn't heard in Jim's voice in a long time; the sound of anger and a tinge of hostility. Before I could say anything a most unlikely champion came to his defense . . . my brother Bret.

This was one of those rare occasions when the two of them ended up playing poker at the same table out of necessity. Bret casually remarked, "We don't allow cheatin' here, Mr. Brooks, and Mr. Buckley is a highly skilled poker player. He would never be so clumsy to deal from anywhere but the top of the deck. I think you are mistakin' in your accusation, sir, and you owe Mr. Buckley an apology. If you're not inclined to offer one of those, there's the door. I suggest you take it and not come back."

The last person I expected to defend Jim was my brother. Over the years they'd had more clashes, arguments and snide remarks pass between the two of them than should be allowed in a lifetime. I was stunned into silence as we all waited to see the outcome of Bret's missive. After a tense minute or two, Brooks looked at Dandy and offered a quick, "My mistake," then gathered his money and left the table.

Lucien shook his head, then quietly followed his friend out the door. I jumped up and hurried after Lucien, catching him right outside. "Are we okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, boss. I don't know what got into him. I'm sorry about that."

"Don't worry, Lucien. I just wanted to know if you felt the same way."

Another shake of the head. "Nope. Jim was playin' fair and square. Weren't no call for Avery to do that. I'll see you and Jim in the morning. Give him my apologies, would you?" Lucien hurried off after Brooks and I went back inside.

In my absence, the remaining players had decided to call it a night. Jim and Bret had their heads together, something I never would have expected, and I could hear Dandy thanking Bret. Bret had a grin a mile wide on his face. "Don't misinterpret what I said, Buckley. I know you weren't cheatin . . . but don't expect that this means we're gonna be friends."

Jim nodded his head. Normally in a situation like this he would have had a snide remark for Bret. Tonight he let it go as a mere, "Thanks," and walked towards me. "It's a miracle" he murmured as he came alongside me. It was a miracle, indeed.

1


	8. Cookies and Goats and Ponies, Oh My

Chapter 8 – Cookies and Goats and Ponies, Oh My

Weeks ago Doralice was supposed to have decided who was living in Little Bend, Dandy Jim Buckley or James Buckley. Every time the decision lurked around the corner Doralice asked for more time before deciding. Some of the delay was due to the workload we all found ourselves under; part of it seemed to be that every time she had a decision made, the other part of the Buckley personality would rear it's head and couldn't be ignored.

And, to be truthful, there was actually a third part to the Buckley persona, and that was the part known simply as 'Dad.' Not that we really got to see much of that part, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Jack would send a telegram saying he was coming to visit the next month, but when that month came there was always something that delayed him. Dandy would go off periodically to visit Jack . . . it seemed to work out better that way.

Much to my surprise, Jim grew close to Breton, and by extension to Lily. Whenever Dandy had free time you could easily find him . . . just look for my son and youngest daughter. Wherever they were, Uncle Jim was. I began to notice little things . . . the way Breton dressed, the way he spoke, the way he walked. He even seemed to have learned the same 'horse taming' abilities that Jim had. It was almost as if Breton had become possessed by Dandy Jim Buckley.

One afternoon when we'd finished lunch, Doralice pulled me into our bedroom for a private talk. I wasn't expecting what I heard. "Bart, you've got to do something about Breton's obsession with James. He asked me the other day if we didn't have something in silk to put on his bed – the cotton sheets were just too scratchy. You wouldn't believe the things he's requested.

"And now Lily is beginning to ask for the same things. It's just gotten to be too much from such babies."

I hadn't thought about the effect Jim might have on my children, especially two of the three littlest. I had the feeling there was more than one talk coming . . . and that I was going to have the hardest time explaining all this to Jim. At least I didn't have to chase all the way to Buckley's little house to see him. It was Friday night, time for another poker game, and Mrs. Murtaw's night off. Which meant that James joined us for supper.

He came a little early, as was his custom, and we sat on the front porch and smoked cigars until time to eat. This night I had an issue to address. "Jim, you know that Breton idolizes you. And that Lily Beth does what Breton does."

"He's a wonderful child. So attentive, so bright. He reminds me of Jack."

I chose my words carefully. "Might I remind you that you didn't know Jack at that age?" Me and Doralice knew Jack better than his father when Jack was still a wee lad. That's a long story better told elsewhere.

"Not my fault."

I cleared my throat. I wasn't gonna get into who knew Jack better when he was young. "Anyway, Breton is very impressionable. As is Lily. He hasn't the faintest idea of what silk is, yet he told his mother he wanted it on his bed because cotton was too scratchy."

There was a slight chuckle. "Good lad."

"No, Jim, that is not a good lad. Breton wants silk only because he's heard you talk about it. And he's driving his mother crazy asking for things like that. Maybe you can afford to sleep on silk, but Breton and Lily can't. What he does when he's an adult is one thing, but as long as he's a child and lives here he's stuck with plain, good old-fashioned cotton. You have to quit encouraging him to want things he may never have. I have no problem with the two of you being fast friends, but that's where it has to end. Educating him about things out of his realm is one thing; making him want them is somethin' else."

And just when I figured that Dandy Jim would give me a hard time about it, James showed up. "Sorry, Bart. I never thought about it like that. I'll see what I can do to fix things."

XXXXXXXX

I have to admit that I never expected anything to come of my plea. But two days later I was on my way to see Breton when I was abruptly stopped outside his bedroom door by the sound of Dandy's voice. The two unlikely mates were engaged in a serious conversation.

Jim casually mentioned, "I noticed you had some new sheets. Momma went shopping, didn't she?"

Breton answered him in a disgruntled voice. "Didn't do no good. She didn't buy me silk."

"These are awfully nice sheets, Bret. I should be glad to have them." I wonder if this was Jim's way of finally being friends with a Maverick named Bret?

"But you sleep on silk sheets. I want those, too."

"Oh, no, not anymore. Silk sheets are too slippery to sleep on. My bed has good, sturdy cotton sheets on it, just like yours. They're much better for sleeping."

"Are you sure?"

"Why, of course. The next time you bring Lily up for tea, I'll be glad to show you."

I certainly wasn't expecting that. Who knew that my brother's namesake was taking his baby sister up to Buckley's house for tea? What else didn't I know?

"You know, your momma and daddy sleep on cotton sheets, too. And your momma only buys the very best."

There was a trace of reluctance mixed with acceptance in Breton's voice. "Well, I guess that's true."

"Of course it is. I wouldn't tell you so if it wasn't."

"Alright." Pause. "Lily wants to know if we can bake cookies again with Hannah the way we did the last time we were at your house. She really enjoyed that."

"Certainly. And I have two new baby goats she'll want to see. And the pony should be there by the next visit."

Cookie baking? Baby goats? Pony? What in the world was going on up at Jim's . . . I mean James' house? Had being a father to Jack changed him more than he let on? Or was there some ulterior motive that even I didn't know about?

It sounded like Dandy was headed for the doorway, and I abruptly removed myself and scurried on into Beauregard's room, who was in Little Bend on a rare afternoon out with some of his friends from church. I heard Dandy go back down the hall and hurried downstairs to share what I'd heard with Doralice. Wouldn't she be happy to hear that the constant nagging for silk sheets might be at an end. But cookies and baby goats. Really?


	9. Help

Chapter 9 – Help

That was the last Doralice heard about silk sheets. We had a conversation about Breton and Lily's visits to Jim's house, wherein I was informed that most of the visiting was done by my children and Hannah. Jim was there if he wasn't working, and he and Breton had formed a real bond. I guess in some ways that was fitting since I'd had a relationship with Jack Buckley when he was about the same age.

One afternoon Lily informed me that "Daddy has to take us to Uncle James house because everyone else is busy." I guess Breton sent Lily to see me because he assumed I wouldn't say 'no' to her. He was right, but I wouldn't have told him no either.

So I put the two of them in the buggy and off we went. I could have walked them there, but frankly, I was tired. When we arrived, Hannah was happy to see the children and invited me in for a cup of coffee. The smells coming from the kitchen were wonderful, and my stomach couldn't resist. "James around?" I inquired, and was met with a look of . . . confusion.

"No, sir, he got a telegram early this morning and went into town. He thought he would be back in time for the children's visit, but he wasn't sure."

Lily interrupted us with her request to see the baby goats. Hannah opened up the back door and you could plainly see the goat pen and the two new additions. "Go on out, child, you know how to get out there." Lily hesitated but a moment, then wandered off by herself to see the new babies. It was the first time I'd ever seen her go anywhere alone.

Breton sat down next to the table and waited for Hannah to continue the cooking making. Since we were talking, she gave my son two cookies from the previous batch and sent him outside with Lily. "How long has this been going on, Hannah? Their visiting up here, I mean?"

"Let's see . . . I think since about the third week Mr. Buckley lived here. They just came on up one day and they've been comin' ever since."

"And what's this about a pony?"

"Mr. James decided he wanted a pony up here, in case any of the little ones came up and wanted to ride. Whatta I know? I'm just an old lady from Grand Junction. Might be kinda nice to have a pony, you know."

I wasn't gonna argue with Hannah about a pony. If Dandy wanted one, that was his business. As long as my kids didn't think the pony was theirs. Before we could talk any further, Jim got home. He looked kind of surprised when he walked into the house, with me being there, but I lifted my coffee cup and my cookie and just grinned at him. He sat at the table and Hannah brought him a cup of tea and a cookie of his own.

"Are you collecting baby animals now?"

"What, the goats? They keep the kids amused. Heck, they keep me amused. And I'm sure you know about the pony. She should be here tomorrow."

"Why do you want a pony?"

"I didn't, but the man that sold me the goats had a pregnant pony that he didn't want. He practically gave her to me, old man. Otherwise it was off to the glue factory, and I couldn't do that to her. Her eyes reminded me of Janet's, so I got talked into a pony. And I've bought half a dozen chickens from your wife, but they're going to have to stay at your place until I get back."

"Back? Back from where?"

"I have to go to Fort Worth. That's what the telegram was about. Seems Jack's gotten himself into a bit of a scrape and he needs me to extricate him. Sorry about the notice but he's my boy . . . "

"You don't have to explain, Jim. Jack needs you, that's what's important." I finished off my coffee as Breton and Lily came running back in. Breton stopped by my chair but Lily ran straight to Jim and threw her arms around his neck.

"Uncle Jim, the babies is beautiful."

"Aren't they, Lily Beth? Did you see how they bounce around?"

"You come outside with us?" she asked.

"I can't, sweetheart, I have to leave for a few days. But I'll be back and then we can watch them run around the yard."

"Pony still coming?"

"Yes, ma'am, the pony is still coming. And it won't be long before we'll have two ponies."

That caught Breton's interest. "Two ponies?"

"Yes, sir. Our little pony is going to be a mommy."

"Any idea on how long you'll be gone? So I can reschedule anyone in need of your services?"

Dandy looked unsure at first, but eventually gave me an answer. "A week or so, I would imagine. Unless I get into some trouble of my own."

I chuckled, and told him, "Don't make me come after you."

Jim gave Lily a hug and told her, "You two be good and don't give your daddy any trouble."

Murmurs of "We won't"could be heard as they turned their attention to Hannah and her cookies. "Mr. Maverick, I'll walk the children home when we're done baking, if that's alright with you."

"Hannah, how many times do I have to remind you, it's Bart. Why don't you plan on having supper with us tonight, since Jim will be gone? That way you don't have to be by yourself."

"Thank you, Mr . . . Bart. That would be nice. Mr. Buckley, shall I pack a valise for you?"

"Would you, Hannah? That way I can get going." Dandy turned back to me and sighed. "I thought when Jack was grown I wouldn't have to worry anymore."

"You always have to worry, Jim. You should know that by now."

"So I see. Take care, old boy. I'll be back as soon as I can."

We said our goodbyes and I went out to the buggy. The goats were bouncing all over the backyard, and I stood and watched them for a few minutes. I hoped that Jack's 'scrape' wasn't too serious. Maybe he'd come back to the ranch with his father. Little did I know it would be quite a while before we saw Jack Buckley, and under quite different circumstances.


	10. Molly

Chapter 10 – Molly

Hannah brought Breton and Lily home about an hour before supper, giving her time to visit with Lily Mae. The two, as predicted, had become fast friends and enjoyed cooking together. Lily Mae had already informed us that the kitchen would be off limits when they began their baking for the holidays, which were rapidly approaching.

At supper Hannah had asked me if I would be at Buckley's when the pony arrived the next day, and I agreed. Lily Beth begged me to let her come, and I said yes, knowing I would have no peace if I said no. Quite frankly I was glad to see her doing things on her own rather than simply being Breton's shadow.

So my littlest girl went with me to the Buckley house, where we met Hannah and her latest batch of culinary concoctions, along with a big pot of coffee. By the time the pony arrived I was stuffed full and knew the name for every animal out in the barn. I don't know I they were the names Dandy had given them or if they were strictly Lily Beth's, but there was an interesting array of human and non-human names.

Now, on to the pony. The man that delivered her seemed to want to drop her off as quickly as possible, and I could see why. Shaggy and unkempt, her mane and tail in virtual knots, the only part of her with any meat on her bones was her belly. Lily Beth burst into tears when she saw the ragged animal. I assured my daughter that we would take care of her; we put the poor girl in the barn, and I left Lily Beth with Hannah while I rode back to the ranch. The first person I saw was Jimmy Hunt and I sent him into town to fetch Dr. Madden, the local vet, and bring him back to Dandy's. Then I gathered an armful of grooming supplies and hurried back to the Buckley barn.

I hoped to be able to do something constructive to poor Molly (the pony's name, according to the man that brought her) before Dr. Madden got there. Lily insisted on watching as I brushed, combed, and did my best to curry the poor animal. I was still workin' on her tail when the vet arrived, but she looked one-hundred percent better than when she was delivered. She was actually a pretty little thing, with an almost golden coat and a cream color mane and tail.

"What have we got here?" Dr. Madden asked. Gene Madden had just recently moved to Little Bend when our previous veterinarian moved away. He was about my age, tall with curly blonde hair, and a smile that never quit. He seemed to have a genuine affection for the animals.

"Well, Dr. Madden, we had a mess when she arrived. I guess I just want you to check her over and find out if she's healthy. And see if you've got any guess for when that foals gonna be born."

"I can tell you one thing for sure . . . she's malnourished."

I almost rolled my eyes, but I caught myself in time. "I can see that. What else?"

He did some fiddling around, looked her over, listened to her heart, and then pronounced, "She seems to be perfectly healthy, except for one fact."

"What's that?" I asked foolishly.

He looked at me and grinned. "She's gonna have that baby any day."

Wonderful. Not only had I agreed to be there when Molly was delivered, now I had to be there when she delivered. This was beginning to remind me of the day a six-year-old Jack Buckley showed up at the telegraph office, after Dandy Jim asked me to do him a favor. Then I stopped and thought about it. A pregnant pony about to have a baby couldn't possibly be as much trouble as a six-year-old . . . could they?

XXXXXXXX

After Gene left I made sure Molly had hay and water. I finished gettin' the knots out of her tail, and sent Lily Beth to fetch Hannah. "Ooh, she's a pretty girl, isn't she?" Were the first words out of Hannah's mouth.

I showed Hannah how to feed and water Molly, and then I tried to explain what happens when a horse or pony is about to give birth. It was no use; Hannah remained bewildered by the whole thing. Once again I left Lily in Hannah's care and rode back to the ranch. I found Slim Avery and described the situation; then we rode back to Buckley's. Slim was going to stay at the house until the colt or filly was born, just to make sure there were no complications. Hannah was delighted to have company, and Slim would appreciate her cooking. There was only one problem. Lily Beth had established herself in a corner of the pony's stall and wouldn't move. She was determined to stay with Molly until the little one was born.

This forced a change in plans on Slim's part. He bunked down in the stall to keep an eye on both Lily Beth and Molly, and there he stayed. Hannah fixed plates for both of them at mealtime and brought their food to the barn.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait long. Two days later I went up to check on them and found a brand new colt, which Lily had already named Thomas. "Any problems?" I asked Slim and he replied in the negative. Hannah had come out to look at the newest addition to the Buckley menagerie.

"You should have seen it, Daddy, it was so amazing. Molly just stood up and Thomas popped out."

"I see he's up and on his feet already. But why did you name him Thomas?" I asked her.

"Because Uncle Jim told me I could name him," she insisted. Then she leaned over and whispered, "And Slim's name is Thomas." That was something even I didn't know. Trust my baby girl to find out.

"Now that Thomas has been born you can come home. Slim, why don't you stay here for a few days, just to be sure they're both alright. At least you can sleep in the house now."

"Can I come back tomorrow, daddy? Breton can bring me."

I looked down at my little girl and saw the hope in her eyes. As far as she was concerned, Thomas was hers. How could I say no to that? "Alright, Lily Beth. Breton can bring you up. Around noon, Hannah? If that's okay."

Hannah smiled and nodded. "We'll all have lunch and watch the ponies, " she declared.

Just then it occurred to me . . . it was time for Lily Beth to have a pony of her own.

1


	11. Dinner at Buckley's

Chapter 11 – Dinner at Buckley's

It was another week before Buckley came home, and when he did he was alone and madder than a wet hen. He came to the house and asked me to walk out to the barn. We walked out there, and I could almost see the steam coming out of his ears. "I thought you'd bring Jack back with you," I said casually, and it was the wrong thing to say.

"Jasper was supposed to come home with me," he practically growled, and at that moment I don't think I've ever seen him that angry. "First of all, I had to bail him out of jail for getting in a bar fight. He was sober, mind you, but it still cost me almost five hundred dollars. If that wasn't enough it was over some saloon girl, and he went right back to chasing her. The second time I bailed him out it was over five hundred dollars, and the sheriff threatened to throw me in jail if he got in another one before I got him out of town.

"Then on the way out of town we ran into the man he'd fought with both times. I practically had to put a rope around him to get him out of there. Can you imagine me with a rope? We were fine until we got to Abilene. I was so tired I couldn't ride any further, so we got a hotel room for the night. When I woke up in the morning, Jasper was gone. He left me a note saying he wasn't ready to come home with me and he'd repay me when he got a chance. Do yours act like that?" He glared at me but before I could say anything, he answered his own question. "Well, of course not. Yours are still children."

I couldn't help but ask. "Any idea where he went?"

"Of course not. All I know is I'm as mad at him as I've ever been."

"Uh, Dandy? Why'd you want me to come out to the barn?"

He looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "Bart, old boy. I wouldn't want the ladies of your house to hear me swearing, in case I really get mad."

I darn near burst out laughing. I couldn't imagine Dandy Jim Buckley any madder than he was five minutes ago, but evidently there was another level to his anger that caused him to actually curse. I leaned against one of the stall doors and Dandy paced back and forth, ranting and raving. It wasn't the money, he insisted. It was the idea that Jack (he'd calmed down enough to call the boy Jack) had promised him, swore to him, that he'd come back to Little Bend for a while.

About twenty minutes into his tirade I pulled out two cigars and offered one to Jim. He took it and actually stopped pacing. Next came the light, and then the smoke. And finally the swearing. "Damn it, Bart, what am I going to do with him?"

"What do you want to do with him?"

"I want to turn him over my knee and spank him."

"I'm sure he's much too big to do that."

"I could horsewhip him."

"You'd never lay a hand on that boy, and you know it. Besides, what do you expect? He is Dandy Jim Buckley's son, after all. You were born a rascal and you'll die a rascal, and that's your blood coursing through his veins. So there's only one thing you can do."

"And that would be?"

"Wait until he gets tired of traipsing all over the country and comes home of his own accord. The more you nag him the less likely he is to show up here."

Jim took a long drag on his cigar and blew the smoke out in a long, fine curl. "I'm sure you're right. You're always right. That's the disgusting part." He took another drag on the cigar. "Alright, I shall. But while I have you here, there's another matter I'd like to discuss. It's about the property I'm living on, and the house. I'd like to buy them from you."

"Dandy . . . " I started, but couldn't finish.

"This is a non-negotiable point, old boy. I don' t feel right, living on land the Mavericks own. I want to own it myself, lock, stock and barrel. I want you to name your price so I can buy it from you."

I wasn't expecting that, particularly after Dandy had to bail Jack out of jail, twice. And I hadn't given it any thought, to be quite honest. "I . . . don't know, Dandy. I'll have to talk to Bret about that. You sure you got enough money to buy it?"

"Money's not a problem, old boy. Just let me know, eh? And Mrs. Murtaw would like you and the misses to come to our house for dinner tomorrow night."

"That's not . . . "

"Yes, it is. Besides, Mrs. Murtaw will not take no for an answer. Dinner at six o'clock. It will do you good to do something for just the two of you. Maybe you can talk to Bret and have an answer for me by then. I'll tell Mrs. Murtaw we shall see the two of you tomorrow. Now, I've taken up enough of your time. Any call for my services today?"

"No, but I think we've got one for tomorrow. Sally Fletcher, with that stubborn bay stallion she's got."

"Good, then I shall spend a lazy day in bed and with Molly and Thomas. You're welcome to send Lily Beth and Breton up if you'd like."

"If I'd like? Just try to keep Lily away. She thinks Thomas is hers."

"Well . . . we shall see what we can do about that. Alright, old boy. What time is Sally Fletcher tomorrow?"

"Noon. I knew better than to let Maudie book anything earlier than that for you, just in case you were back."

"Don't forget to have that talk with . . . Bret."

"I won't."

But I almost did.

Later that day me and Bret were talking about taking half a dozen of the cross-breed mares to Abilene for auction when I suddenly remembered Jim's plea to me about the sale of the land. "Bret . . . Jim is back. I talked to him today; he wants to buy the property he's livin' on. And the house. I've got no problem with that, do you?"

Bret rolled his eyes. "I suppose he's gonna be here forever."

"Who knows?"

"Do we . . . oh, alright. I suppose I'd want the same thing. If we sell him the house and the land . . . do you think a thousand dollars is too much?"

"Hell, I don't know, Bret. Probably. But I bet Dandy's got money squirreled away somewhere. I'll see what kind of a reaction I get from him."

XXXXXXXX

Doralice and me walked hand-in-hand to the Buckley house. Molly and Thomas were out in the backyard, and it was obvious that someone had continued to curry Molly. Her coat was shiny and well-kept, and it was cute as all get-out to see the two of them playing. "So that's Molly," Doralice remarked. She'd heard nothing but "Molly, Molly, Molly and Thomas" from Lily Beth ever since the foal had been born.

Thomas was adorable; a little bitty thing that looked just like his mother. Dandy appeared at the back door and called out to us, "I brought them over from the barn so Doralice could see them."

"You should have seen Molly when she got here," I replied.

"Now you know why I bought her. Nobody should treat an animal like that."

"I agree."

We finished our walk into the house and were greeted by the most wonderful smells. I was beginning to think that Hannah was equal to Lily Mae when it came to food. "It smells fabulous, Hannah," I told her, and she beamed at me.

"Just a few minutes, folks. Mr. Buckley's in the dining room pouring the wine."

We wandered through the kitchen and into 'the dining room.' Jim had a table in one corner of the great room and he was, as Hannah had indicated, pouring the wine. He looked up and flashed that Buckley grin. "Just in time. Welcome to our home. Please, Doralice, allow me to seat you."

"Thank you, James. The house is charming."

She was right. The house was charming. Hannah had done a lot to make it a home, and she had succeeded admirably. It had an air of sophistication tempered by country charm. I sat next to Doralice and James, rather than sitting at the head of the table, sat across from us. It was evident from only three place settings that Hannah did not intend to join us. I looked at James, then the empty place, and asked, "Hannah won't be joining us?"

Jame shook his head. "I invited her, even insisted, but her answer was 'no.' She said it should just be the three of us. So I quit arguing. Say, did you get a chance to talk to your brother?"

"About the house. We discussed it."

"And?"

"What is this about what house?" Doralice asked as she sipped her wine.

"This house," I explained. "And the surrounding property. Jim wants to buy it, and Bret agrees with me. We will sell it to you . . . for one thousand dollars." I expected him to blanch at the price; he did no such thing.

"One thousand dollars is acceptable. It will take a bit for me to get the funds from my solicitor. I hope you understand. Bailing Jack out took most of my ready cash. I'll ride into Little Bend and send a telegram tomorrow. I should have the funds no later than next week."

"That's fine. I'll have the paperwork drawn up."

And with that there was no more talking about selling or buying the house, because Hannah served dinner, and we were all too busy eating.


	12. A Suspect Appears

Chapter 12 – A Suspect Appears

Two or three days later I heard something that was disturbing. One of the horse wranglers we hired had been robbed. He'd been to Little Bend and hit the roulette wheel at Maude's. He had most of the winnings hidden, but he left three hundred dollars in his wallet, which he kept tucked under his pillow. He got up one night to relieve himself, and when he came back to bed, the wallet was gone. One of the other wranglers swore up and down that he'd seen someone enter the bunkhouse right around that time, but he was half asleep and couldn't identify the person.

A week went by; Dandy told me that his solicitor was having some difficulty cashing out his investments and he'd only been able to get part of the money, so he paid me what he'd gotten. It was three hundred dollars. I told him it was no problem; he could pay me whenever the funds were available. "No, I want to get this paid off as quickly as possible." Those were his exact words to me regarding the debt.

Several of the ranch hands reported seeing an unidentified figure in various places around the ranch; everybody was on the lookout for the thief. Things were quiet for a day or two, then Lucien got called away just as he'd finished packing his saddlebags to deliver a horse to San Angelo. When he got back the saddlebags, with his traveling money hidden neatly inside, were gone. They were found later discarded along the side of the road to Little Bend, with the money missing, of course. Lucien was out over two hundred dollars.

Randy Washburn, who we'd hired at the beginning of the summer, remembered seeing Jim riding away from the ranch, toward Little Bend that morning. I went to Dandy's house to see if he had gone to town and Hannah told me yes, Mr. Buckley went into town to wire his solicitor once again. And no, he hadn't returned yet.

I saw Jim when he returned from Little Bend, and he was not a happy man. The solicitor was stalling him, he professed, sending him money in dribs and drabs. Jim gave me two hundred dollars. I asked if he'd seen anyone along the road, and he told me no . . . but I began to wonder. Was Jim short on cash, and that's why he had excuses for paying me a little at a time? Was he the thief, paying each time the exact amount of money that had been stolen, or was I imagining things?

Another week went by, with no further incidents. Still, there was a thief on the ranch, and word began to spread. Whispers here and there, nothing that indicated who might be responsible, but the distrust in each other was growing.

One afternoon, Doralice had Jim over for tea. Somethin' she wanted to talk to him about, she said. She'd just come home from church, and her purse was sittin' in plain sight. They made small talk while she finished brewing the tea, then they went to the living room. She forgot about her purse but did say that Jim didn't look over at it or seem to pay any attention to it. There was no one else in the kitchen.

It was almost two hours later when she remembered where she'd left her purse, and she went to retrieve it. That's when she discovered the theft; her bag had been on the chair and now it was on the floor, contents spilled everywhere. I'd just gotten in from the barn and wandered into the kitchen, where I found her on the floor, gathering up everything that had been spilled.

Doralice finished restoring the contents to her purse, and I helped her up off the floor; that's when she told me what she'd lost. "How could I be so stupid? I had over two hundred dollars in there. It was money from church that I was going to deposit in the bank tomorrow."

"Was anybody else here today?" I asked her, almost dreading the answer.

"Just James. He came by for tea and we had a lovely visit. When he left I came back out here and discovered the theft."

"Did he come into the kitchen by himself for anything?"

"Why do you want to know? Certainly you don't suspect James?"

"Just answer me, Doralice," I begged her.

"Alright. Yes, I left the cookies out here, and he offered to fetch them while I poured tea. He wasn't out here more than a minute or two."

That's what I was afraid of. "And there was no one else here in the house?"

"No. The children all went with Lily Mae up to visit Hannah and the animals. No one's been here but . . ."

"But you and Dandy. And the money's gone. Tell me what I should think."

"James didn't take it, Bart."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know James. He's not a thief." With that she took her purse and flounced out of the room, and I didn't see her the rest of the day. I did see Jim, however.

About four o'clock he came riding down to the barn to check on Monday's schedule. He had two appointments, one at two o'clock and one at four. He also wanted to give me another payment, again for two hundred dollars. I had to ask, "Jim, did you ride all the way into town to get this?" I thought I might catch him in a lie, since Western Union didn't usually keep this much cash on hand, and the bank was closed on Sundays.

"No, old man, I did that yesterday. Why do you ask?"

That's when I explained about the money missing from Doralice's purse. "Were you out in the kitchen at any point today?"

"Of course I was. Doralice was pouring tea and she'd left cookies in the kitchen. I told her I didn't need any, but she asked me to go fetch them, so I did."

"Her purse was out 's missin' two hundred dollars of the church's money. You didn't happen to see anybody else, did you?"

"Why no, there was no one else around." Pause. "Now wait a minute . . . you're not insinuating that I had anything to do with the money disappearing, are you? Because I would not do that, and I especially would not do that to Doralice."

His tone was so firm, so adamant, that I couldn't help but believe him. For now.

After Jim left I went back to the house. Doralice was upstairs in our bedroom, layin' on the bed. I took out the money that Jim had just given to me and laid it on the bed next to her. "What's that?" she asked me.

"Go put that in the bank tomorrow."

"Where did you get it?"

"From Jim. He paid another two hundred dollars on his land."

I lay down beside her and took her in my arms. It had been a long time since we'd made love. I pulled her close to me and kissed her ear, then her throat and her chin and finally, her lips. She didn't protest. In fact, she kissed me back. Then she whispered, "Does that mean you think he's innocent?"

I hadn't decided until just that moment. "For now," I told her and kept right on kissing her, until the kissing led to other things.


	13. To Catch a Thief

Chapter 13 – To Catch a Thief

I never told anyone of the theft or my suspicions. Doralice never told anyone, either, but by the time Jim showed up for his two o'clock appointment the next day, it was all over the ranch that my wife had lost over two hundred dollars from her purse and that Dandy Jim Buckley was the most likely suspect. When Jim had finished with Jeff Roberts headstrong white stallion, I called him over to talk.

"Did you tell anyone about yesterday?" I asked.

"Just Hannah," he replied.

"Then Hannah told someone."

"Probably Lily Mae. I know they visited yesterday evening."

"Everybody thinks you are the thief," I informed him.

"Does that include you and Doralice?" There was a tone in his voice I couldn't quite place.

"No," I answered quickly. "But we have to find the thief so that this will stop."

"What, the accusations? They don't bother me, as long as I know you and Doralice believe me."

I had been avoiding Brother Bret all day, but he picked just then to show up. "Bart, can we talk?"

"Sure, Bret, what's up?"

"You had a theft yesterday?" He didn't waste any time.

"Yes."

"And Jim was the only one that had access to the money?"

"He was the only one in the house."

"So your answer is yes?" I knew where this was heading.

"No. The back door was open. Anyone could have come in and stolen the funds."

"But he was the only one that you knew was there?"

"Yes."

He only hesitated a moment. "Then fire him."

"I will not. It could have been anybody."

"I won't be responsible for anything else he does."

"You're convicting him without a trial."

Bret shrugged. "I'm looking at his past, and he looks pretty guilty from here."

"I don't care. I'm not firing him." I was determined not to give in.

"If he's the thief, and you don't fire him, you're responsible for anything else he steals. And then you will fire him."

"Fine. But I'll not fire him now."

Bret turned and stalked off, mad as a wet hen. I knew he'd calm down eventually; now I had to deal with Dandy. "He blames me, doesn't he?"

I didn't answer and let Dandy draw his own conclusions.

"Do you want me to quit?"

"No. Whoever the thief is, I'll find him."

I went back to the house and let Dandy finish his four o'clock appointment. Doralice could see that I was agitated and offered to give me a back rub, which I gratefully accepted. Unfortunately, she started asking questions as she rubbed my shoulders. "Did you see James today?"

"Yes."

"He told Hannah about yesterday, didn't he?" It was more an accusation than anything.

"Yes."

"And Hannah told Lily Mae."

"Yes."

"And Lily Mae told who knows how many."

It wasn't a question and didn't require an answer, so I didn't give one. She stopped massaging and said, "Well? What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm gonna try and find the thief."

"I bet you think it's James, don't you?" Now there was a petulant tone in her voice.

"He is the most logical person, Doralice."

"He is not a thief."

"Well, if it isn't Jim, who is it?"

She shook her head and sat down. End of back rub. "It could be anybody."

"And it could be Jim."

"No. I refuse to believe that."

"Doralice . . . "

"No, Mr. Know-It-All. I'm not speaking to you until you tell me you know it wasn't James."

Great. Now I had my brother and my wife mad at me, for opposite reasons. Alright, it was time I sat down and figured this thing out. I went to the office and pulled out an employment roster, and started going over the employees, one by one. I skipped over the men employed here the longest and examined the newcomers. That would be Randy Washburn, Harry Miller and Andy Harrison. Randy immediately attracted my attention, since he'd been the one to point the finger at Dandy.

The best way to catch the thief was to set a trap. And I knew just how to do that.

1


	14. The Trap is Sprung

Chapter 14 – The Trap is Sprung

The next morning I went out to the barn and let it be known that I was riding into Little Bend to get cash from the bank. According to the story I spun, somebody was coming in to sell me a horse and I had to pay cash for him. I wore black work clothes with my buckskin jacket on top; I needed that jacket for this scam to work. I withdrew seven hundred dollars, putting six hundred in my pants pocket and a hundred dollars in my wallet. I rode back to the ranch and hung my jacket on a hook inside the barn. And waited.

For a while I worked with one of the new colts, then I found myself a spot where hay bales were piled and I couldn't be seen. And waited. And waited. And waited. Jim came in looking for something, but never went near my coat. It started to get dark and I knew I was gonna have to go inside soon. I walked over and put the coat on, and went back to the house.

I hung the jacket over the back of a kitchen chair and asked Lily Mae to join us for supper. "Baiting the trap, eh?" She asked me, and I nodded yes. She went into the dining room to eat and I kept out of sight, observing the door and the jacket. About ten minutes later I saw a figure at the back door and held my breath. It was Bret.

"Go sit in the dining room," I told him, and to his credit he didn't ask any questions, but went straight inside.

Another ten minutes went by and I was just about to give up for the night when, once again, there was a dark figure outside. I held my breath and prayed. The door swung open and a man dressed all in black, with a black kerchief over his nose and mouth, took two steps inside and grabbed the jacket. He quickly found the wallet inside and pulled out the cash, replacing the jacket on the chair. He had nothing on his hands and I recognized them . . . they belonged to Randy Washburn.

I pulled out my gun and pulled the hammer back. "Come on in, Randy, or I'll have to shoot you. And I'd really hate to do that."

Of course he didn't come in, and I didn't shoot. He took off running, and I ran after him. It ain't easy for a forty-something-year-old man to chase a twenty-something kid, and I would have lost him if it hadn't been for Lucien, who was coming to tell me that another mare had foaled. He ran right into my foreman, and Lucien had the good sense to hold onto him. "You goin' someplace in a hurry, Randy?" Lucien asked casually.

Washburn knew he was caught, and he didn't try anything further. "Bring him in here, Lucien, then send Slim into town for Dave Parker. You just stopped our thief from gettin' away."

Lucien 'escorted' Randy into the kitchen, where we tied him to a chair. Lucien left to find Slim and send him to town to fetch the sheriff, while I called into the dining room, "Bret, come out here. We caught the thief."

Bret soon appeared in the doorway and seemed thoroughly surprised that it wasn't Dandy. "You sure?" he asked, and I was most happy to inform him that I was; I'd caught Randy in the act.

"Guess I owe Jim an apology. I sure figured it was him doin' the stealin'."

"Yes, you do," I told him. "And I owe my wife one."

We stood there for another minute or two before Doralice wandered in, looking for coffee. "Come here," I said, and she came over to me, still not speaking. "Alright, you were right. Dandy Jim was innocent. Lucien and me caught the thief tonight."

"Told you," and she stuck her tongue out at me. Then she turned back into my wife and asked, "I assume that this is the culprit, tied to our kitchen chair."

"Yes, it is. Slim went to town to fetch Dave Parker."

"You haven't looked around to see if you could find the money anywhere, have you?"

"I can go do that," Bret volunteered.

"No, wait for the sheriff. It's his job."

It was about another twenty or twenty-five minutes before Dave Parker appeared at our back door. "Slim says you caught the thief."

"Me and Lucien. May I present Mr. Randy Washburn. Randy, this is the sheriff." Washburn sat in the chair and never said a word.

"Talkative fella, ain't he? You go lookin' for the money he stole?"

"Nope, I figured that was your job."

Dave turned to Bret. "Take me to the bunkhouse."

"Yes, sir," and off they went.

Lily Mae ventured out into the kitchen. "I've got a brand new cake when everybody's here. You suppose Sheriff Parker can stay and have some?"

"Were you eavesdropping again, Lily?" I asked her.

She turned bright red and nodded. "I must admit I was, Mr. B."

I gathered her in a big hug. "That's alright, Miss Lily. You wouldn't be you if you didn't eavesdrop."

Another fifteen minutes passed before Dave and Bret returned. Dave was carrying a sack full of something and I assumed it was the money. "How much did you find?" I asked him.

"A little over seven hundred dollars. I'm takin' him and the money back to town. You all can come get whatever he stole from you once his trial is over."

"Wait, Dave."

"What for?" he asked.

"Lily Mae has cake."

The sheriff changed his mind in a hurry. "How tight is our thief tied to that chair?"

"He's not goin' anywhere," I responded.

"You talked me into it, you silver-tongued devil, you."

"Me, too?" Bret asked.

" You, too," I answered.

After we'd finished our cake and coffee and come back out into the kitchen, we were all pleased to find Randy right where we'd left him.

1


	15. Apologies

Chapter 15 – Apologies

Bret stopped by the house the next morning. "Thought I'd go to town later and see what Parker got out of Washburn."

"Sounds like a good idea," I told him, and waited to see if there was anything more.

"You wanna come with me?"

I had other things to do around the ranch that morning, and decided against it. "No, I think I'll pass."

About two hours later I went in the barn to fix a bridle and found Bret saddling up. "Are you gonna stop at Jim's house first?"

"What for?"

My brother wasn't gettin' out of it that easy. "To apologize."

"No."

"Bret, you owe the man an apology, and you promised that you'd give him one."

"Why? He doesn't know I suspected him."

"Suspected him? That wasn't all you did. You wanted me to fire him."

"So? Tell me you didn't have some doubts of your own."

"We're not talkin' about me. We're talkin' about you."

"That man and me have been at odds for years. I just naturally suspected him, and I ain't gonna offer no apology for somethin' that came as natural as breathin'. Ain't been no harm done; the man doesn't know what I had to say."

"Yes, but I know."

"Let it go, Bart."

I grabbed a saddle and bridle and started to saddle Baron.

"You're not gonna let up on this, are you?" He practically growled at me.

I shook my head. "Nope. I'll go with you, if it helps."

"Ain't nothin' gonna help if you insist on my doin' this."

"I insist."

"I'm doin' this under protest." I knew if I kept at him long enough he'd give in. In less than ten minutes we were on our way to Dandy's house. Bret grumbled all the way. The two little goats were frolicking in the backyard, and Mrs. Murtaw was cutting flowers in front.

"Good morning, Hannah. Is Jim up yet?"

"Good mornin' gentlemen. Mr. Buckley is inside having tea. Go right on in, I'm sure he'll be glad to see you."

We dismounted and tied the horses, then went inside. Jim was sitting at the little kitchen table with a cup in his hands. "What have we here? Both Maverick brothers? I must have done something truly awful. Sit down, gentlemen, and join me. There's a pot of coffee on the stove, and cups in the cabinet above it."

Bret sat at the table and I got the cups and poured coffee. Once I was seated, I explained what had happened last night, and a look of relief washed across Jim's face. Can't say I blamed him, I'm sure he assumed he'd been a suspect in the thefts. "And he had the money on him, did he? Not a very bright thief, I should say. "

I looked across the table at my brother, and he glared back at me. He put down his coffee cup and cleared his throat. "Jim, I, I wanted to say . . . I wanted to apologize."

"Whatever for, old boy?"

Silence stretched out between them, until Bret finally said, "For thinkin' you were the thief. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."

"Well, I've just heard something I never thought I'd hear. Apology accepted. The two of you didn't come all the way up here just for that, did you?"

Before I could say anything, Bret spoke up. "No, we're goin' to town to see what's happenin' with Randy Washburn. You wanna ride with us?"

I was taken aback, to say the least. Bret voluntarily inviting Dandy to go along with us? Will wonders never cease? I'd had no intention of going to Little Bend, but my brother had just asked Dandy Jim Buckley to go with us. I wouldn't miss this for the world.

"That sounds like a fine idea. I can see if there's a telegram from my solicitor; he still owes me three hundred dollars. Which I owe to you two for this charming abode. And Lily Beth said something about wanting a rabbit."

"Are you keepin' a zoo up here for my little one, James?" I was beginnin' to think my Lily Beth had Jim wrapped around her little finger.

"Bret, why don't you bring Grace and the boys up here sometime? I'm sure they'd enjoy the animals as much as Bart's children do. The goats will make anyone smile, all by themselves."

My brother looked skeptical but he nodded his head.

"Lily Mae is bringing Lily Beth and Breton up tomorrow. Why don't you send Grace and the boys to my house and they can come up together?" I asked my brother.

"Alright. I think they'd enjoy it. But Jim . . . "

"Yes, Bret?"

"We still ain't gonna be friends."

XXXXXXXX

Not much was said on the way to Little Bend. Just when I thought we might be making some progress, Bret had to remind all of us that nothing's really changed. I guess I should be grateful that big brother is willing to play nice, and let it go at that. Dandy is always going to be Dandy, yet at the same time there is part of him that's James. No wonder Doralice kept putting off deciding who the real James Buckley is.

When we got into town Bret and me went straight to the sheriff's office; Dandy went to the telegraph office. He was supposed to join us when he finished.

Parker was sitting in his chair about half asleep. He jumped about three feet when we came in and then laughed. "I should have known it would be you two."

"No, actually, it's us three. Buckley's over at the telegraph office."

Dave knew the situation between the three of us and an eyebrow shot up. "Don't get excited," Bret told him. "Ain't been no reconciliation. Just bein' polite."

"So did you find anything out from Randy?" I asked innocently.

"Quite a bit, actually. He's been doin' this for a while, driftin' from town to town and stealin'. He gets a job, gets the lay of the place, then the petty thefts begin. Your place just happened to be a little richer than most. Nice little trap you laid there, Bart."

"I had to do somethin'. The rumors were startin' to fly and you know how fast that stuff gets out of hand. If we hadn't caught the thief, somebody woulda been insistin' on a necktie party."

"And unless I miss my guess, they'da wanted to string up the wrong man." We all three knew who he meant. At the moment that man was over in the telegraph office.

"What about a trial for Washburn? You send for the circuit judge?" Bret asked Dave.

"I did," Parker replied. "It'll be a week or more before Judge Winston can get here. "Guess we feed him and keep him locked up until then."

"I assume I have to testify," I ventured a guess.

"Yep," the sheriff answered. "You, Lucian, Doralice, and the cowhand that got robbed in the bunkhouse. Who was that, by the way?"

"Billy Hampton," I told him.

"Just make sure you all are here for the trial. We wanna put him away for a nice, long time."

"Don't worry, we will be." We both shook hands with Dave and left the office. I was trying to figure out what happened to Dandy since he never turned up in Dave's office.

"I'm goin' to Maude's for some coffee. Meet me there." Bret was still givin' orders.

I walked to the telegraph office and was informed that Jim had left some ten minutes ago. He was headed for the bank, since he had a wire regarding a draft that was too big for Wells Fargo to cash. I found Jim leaving the bank and heading for Maude's. He'd gotten quite a bit of money and he wanted to pay us the last three hundred dollars he owed us, but he didn't want to do it in the street. Jim proposed a drink, and we headed toward Maude's.

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	16. Changes

Chapter 16 – Changes

I didn't know it, but it was indeed Lily Beth that had asked for rabbitts, and rabbitts she got. Jim came home from one of the local farmer's houses with half a dozen rabbitts in his saddlebags. He put them all in the same pen, and a month later he had considerably more. Rabbitts actually do multiply like rabbitts.

Bret brought his three children up to my house, and they went with Lily Mae, Lily Beth, and Breton, up to Jim's to see the animals. They all must have had a good time, because everyone was laughing about the mini-zoo that Jim seemed to be acquiring.

When Buckley first moved to Little Bend, Doralice promised to take some time to watch him and his dealings and decide who he was – James Buckley or Dandy Jim Buckley. She stalled and stalled, but finally announced that she had made a decision and would fill us all in after breakfast one Saturday. Needless to say, once the children were finished, the adults migrated to the great room to hear her conclusion.

"I know I've taken a long time with this, but every time I had my mind made up, James did something unexpected and surprised me." She looked over at Buckley; he was dressed in a red coat, black pants, and a silver, black and red vest, with a red cravat and the inevitable black boots. "You're looking good, Mr. Buckley. Are you going somewhere after this?"

"I am, sweet lady, I'm going to Claytonville to play some poker. I was hoping to persuade your husband to go with me."

"I can't, I have too much to do," I protested, and Doralice looked at me.

"It would be good for you to get out and remember where you came from," Doralice urged me. "You haven't gone gambling in a long time. Go get dressed, we'll wait."

That was true, I hadn't played professionally in a long time. "Alright, but I'm not staying out late."

I went to our bedroom and changed into gambling attire. I was pleased that everything still fit, and I began to feel like the old Bart Maverick; what did she call me? Gamblin' man, that was it. I know I wasn't the same man; the years had changed me. And I was glad for the change. Once I couldn't imagine my life without all-night poker games, smoke-filled rooms, and men that were desperate to take your money. Now I couldn't imagine anything but what we had here on the ranch.

I went back to the great room, and my beautiful blonde smiled. "There he is, there's my gamblin' man." Quickly she was in my arms, and she whispered to me, "That's the man I married. God, if James wasn't here . . . " and she nuzzled my ear.

"When I come home," I whispered back.

Dandy cleared his throat. "I don't mean to interrupt that two of you, but I'm still waiting to find out who I am. Or rather, who you think I am."

Doralice stayed close. "You're right, James, you've waited long enough, let's sit down."

Jim and me sat down, and my beautiful aqua-eyed blonde began.

"I watched you for a long time, James. You're a hard man to figure out. Extraordinary horse trainer, animal collector who delights in sharing them with the children, expert poker player, loyal friend. I've seen you be sweet and gentle with the little ones, then turn around and cut someone down with just the right word. I was sure you were James and Dandy would appear. I was sure you were Dandy and James popped up. So here is my truth: you are both James and Dandy, just the right combination of the two. I believe we should now refer to you as Dandy James Buckley. That's the only thing that seems reasonable. And I think you added just the right amount of spice to the B Bar M and our lives. You are indeed an asset to us here, and I hope you stay a long, long time."

With that she got up and walked over to the chair Jim was sitting in, leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. And Dandy James Buckley did something I never thought I'd see . . . he turned as red as his coat. We had re-christened him for now and evermore – Dandy James Buckley.

tbc

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	17. Epilogue

Epilogue

Wait a minute now. I've got something to say about all this. My father made it sound like I am a totally irresponsible son. I get into barfights and have to get bailed out by dear old dad. You'll notice I didn't say **drunken** barfights – because I wasn't drunk, either time. There's no sense in my trying to explain what happened . . . let's just say there were some bad choices involved; choices that I've learned from. No more barfights . . . no more getting bailed out by dad. And I will pay him back.

But let's be real about all this. I just turned twenty and I'm still a little frisky . . . not quite ready to settle down. So things get out of hand sometimes. I'm workin' on that. As for my leavin' Dad by himself in that hotel room in Abilene . . . that was a spur of the moment decision.

I'd been hearing for days about how great the ranch and Little Bend were . . . and I just couldn't listen to anymore, much less actually have to stay there, with, well, let's face it, old people. People my dad's age. Maybe sometime later but, not just now. I don't wanna stay in one spot for too long, there's a lot of the country to see before I settle down.

And there's a lot of beautiful women out there to see and meet. I love women . . . all women. There's so much to learn from them, and I have the utmost respect for them. And just to be clear, I was not 'chasing' the bar girl in that bar. She was working there and being treated like an indentured servant. She asked me to help her get out of there, and I tried. There was no involvement of any other kind.

One day I hope to meet the woman of my dreams. She'll be smart and friendly, and she'll be ambitious and make me laugh. She'll make me want to be a better version of myself. It would be nice if she was pretty, but it's not a requirement. I want us to challenge each other every day, to be the best people we can be.

And I seriously doubt that I'm going to meet her in a place called Little Bend.

Jack Buckley

The End


End file.
